Office of AIDS

HIV Partner Services

HIV Partner Services is a free service offered through local health departments.The program provides assistance to HIV positive persons in notifying their sexual and/or needle sharing partners of possible exposure to HIV. HIV Partner Services are always voluntary, client-centered, and confidential for both the person living with HIV and their partner(s).

News and Updates

Resources for Providers

If you are a provider or clinic that would like to provide HIV Partner Services for your clients or establish a referral system to the local HIV Partner Services staff please contact Amy Kile-Puente at (916) 449-5805 or go to the Partner Services Local Coordinators List (PDF)to find the local HIV Partner Services coordinator and be linked to a specially trained staff person in your area.

If you are a CBO or healthcare provider that would like technical assistance in establishing a HIV Partner Services Program within your organization, contact Amy Kile-Puente for further information.

The CDC provides guidelines for implementation of Partner Services on its website.

About this Program

The HIV Partner Services Program provides three options for letting partners know they may have been exposed to HIV and/or STDs and provide linkages to testing and medical care.

Anonymous Third Party: Specially trained local health department (LHD) staff notifies partners without disclosing any information about the original client.

Dual Disclosure: The original client wants to disclose to partners him- or herself with the support of trained HIV Partner Services staff. Trained staff can provide immediate linkage to services once the original client has told the partner of their exposure.

Self Disclosure: The original client notifies his or her partner(s), after working with trained HIV Partner Services staff to develop a disclosure plan.

How are HIV Partner Services Implemented in California?

At the local level, HIV Partner Services are available in STD clinics, HIV counseling and testing, education and prevention, and care sites where people living with HIV receive services. While the majority of program services are offered by LHD staff, many community-based organizations (CBOs), private medical doctors, community clinics, correctional facilities, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are now partnering with LHDs to provide HIV Partner Services for their clients.

HIV Partner Services activities have been recognized at the state and national levels as an effective intervention benefiting people living with HIV and/or other STDs, their partners, and the larger community. The California Department of Public Health, Center for Infectious Diseases, Office of AIDS and Division of Communicable Disease Control, STD Control Branch prioritize HIV Partner Services activities and collaborate in the oversight, funding, and support for implementation of HIV Partner Services in California.